Day 41: Breakfast

[oftemptation]

Endrance turned his head to look at the intercom, giving it a look that would wither an entire rose garden in an instant. He would never get used to ending up in his room again from somewhere else in the Institute

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[iwhipthefool]

[Free. Limit: any]

"Unhand me!" Struggle as she might, however, the dumb brute wouldn't do as he was told. He'd even been so precocious as to take her journal away. That was hers! Even if she didn't really want it, it had been in her desk and that meant it was her property. She'd have it back and have the orderly on his knees begging forgiveness for manhandling her before the journey was through! "I said, unhand mePulling her arm roughly away, Franziska whirled around and snapped the journal from the man's hands, giving him a particularly icy glare. "Try that again and you'll have nothing to look forward to next pay period," she threatened. The words didn't seem to affect him, however, and he left her near an empty table as Janice came over with a tray of decidedly unappetizing food

[iwhipthefool]

Her eyes closed, one hand methodically gripping and releasing her left sleeve, Franziska waited for the phone call to come in. This place was not going to put a blemish on her perfect record in Germany. If it did, she'd call outstanding circumstances and have it erased from everyone's memory. They'd do well to forget if they knew what was good for them.

When she heard the chair across from her slide out, Franziska looked up, fully expecting to see an apologetic nurse and instead receiving another 'patient' with a shaved head. Lovely. She was going to be forced to converse with the peasantry. Remaining silent for a moment while waiting for her companion to introduce himself, she eventually got tired of waiting and said, "Well? Name and occupation. I haven't got all day."

[iwhipthefool]

Did he just glance away? Franziska couldn't stand people who didn't face others straightforwardly like they were supposed to. She was about to snap her journal against the table to grab his attention, when he obediently looked back and answered like he was supposed to. Good. A small smile crept onto her lips and she lowered her arms, one settling on her hip even though she was seated.

Rude. No last name. Unacceptable, but she could put up with that. Maybe he was like those strange American stars who only went by one name.

But what was a Turk? Was he telling her his nationality instead? Fool. She'd asked for his occupation. She would have to have her people research to see if these Turks were an organization she should have heard of already. "So, Rude of the Turks, explain this place. And be quick and efficient about it or you'll have--" No whip. Right. "--me to answer to."

[iwhipthefool]

Whatever Rude was about to say, he was spared pain and punishment only because he stopped. Franziska listened carefully, folding her arms again as she closed her eyes to take in everything the man was saying. Landel's Institute. That fit with the nurse's story. Kidnapping fit with Franziska's unexpected appearance in this place, rather than where she was supposed to be. The words "mental institution," however, stopped her thoughts in her tracks and when that was followed soon after with 'average creepy hospital packed with monsters' she slammed her fist on the table

[iwhipthefool]

Was Rude really expecting her to believe that? A hospital with monsters? She needed someone to bring her all the relevant material immediately so she could verify this for herself. She hoped not to be here long enough to find out for herself, but since the nurse still hadn't returned with that call from the German office, then it looked like she was stuck for at least another hour.

After all, of all the things she was, she was not crazy and everyone knew that.

Radio clues at night, patient groups looking for escape, experie-- Ah, there was the relevant information. What she needed was on the bulletin board - wherever that was. Snapping her fingers, she caught the attention of a nurse and requested copies of the relevant information brought to her. The nurse, however, did not seem pleased at Franziska's demands, but walked off toward the Sun Room anyway

[iwhipthefool]

Well, now that the information was out of the way, Franziska waited for the details to arrive. If the nurse wasn't prompt enough, she could always get Rude to do it for her. The man seemed like he was of the same breed as most of the investigators who worked under the Prosecutor's Office, meaning he'd probably be willing to run errands for her. And if he wasn't? She'd make him. There was no choice.

Tapping a finger on the table as she thought, Franziska wondered just what Rude's story was. She wasn't in the habit of making small talk, but if he was going to be her replacement Scruffy, then she'd have to make sure he knew his place. She noticed he was looking at her and raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "Do you have something to say?"

[iwhipthefool]

He was like a deer in headlights. How cute. The investigators cowered in just the same way. Picking up her journal, she opened it and leafed to the second page. A pen was taken from where it had been clipped to the cover and she quickly wrote something down, taking note of who this man was, his description, attitude, occupation, and his usefulness. There, that was finished. "Then don't stare. It's impolite."

She closed the journal with a snap and then laid it down by her tray again, setting the pen on top of it. The nurse was taking far too long to bring her the required information. Which meant she'd have to resort to her backup plan. If Rude was so scared of her as he seemed, perhaps he'd do a few things for her in order to stay in her good graces. "If I asked you to do something for me, would you?"

[iwhipthefool]

Oh, so he had a spine after all? Good. Franziska hated pushovers as much as she hated fools and those who wasted her time. Her smile widened a bit when his expression hardened and even more when he quirked an eyebrow at her ever so slightly. Unlike other girls, Franziska never backed down from someone who showed even the smallest iota of fear in her. Whether that person be as meek as a mouse or as tall and silent as this Turk here, she enjoyed seeing them crushed beneath her heel.

"That woman is taking an insufferably long time in returning. See that she hurries, or better - bring me copies of the information you spoke of earlier. I have little time to do the smaller tasks if I'm going to contact both the overseas and American law offices in order to have these people taken care of." Leaning forward onto the desk, Franziska folded her hands under her chin and smiled almost sweetly at him - if she were capable of such a thing. "It's a small task. Think you're up to it?"